Jose Arrieta, chief information officer of the Department of Health and Human Services, has said that the department seeks to modify its acquisition strategy as it seeks to explore emerging technologies, Federal Times reported Wednesday.
Arrieta said at a recent Data Coalition event that HHS’ approach has mainly involved selecting contractors that will compete for orders under an award with a maximum ceiling value. He noted that the acquisition strategy has been “very stressful” for both the department and vendors.
“There needs to be preparation for the acquisition workforce,” he said. “This is a much different way of doing business than they’re used to.â€
The HHS CIO has plans in place for programs encompassing artificial intelligence, neural networks and blockchain technology.
